The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service finalized revisions to its regulation governing federal oil and gas resources on National Forest System lands. The revision modernizes and streamlines the process for managing energy development across millions of acres.
The final rule (36 CFR 228 Subpart E), now published in the Federal Register, updates and simplifies federal oil and gas leasing procedures, allowing the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to seamlessly coordinate when issuing permits. By establishing a single, clearly defined leasing decision point and reducing duplicative analysis, the rule aims to improve response times to industry requests, help reduce longstanding backlogs, accelerate lease issuance, and support the timely processing of applications for permits to drill.
For additional information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton.